Solar is reaching HOA and condo budgets in two ways. Associations are adding solar to their own property, such as clubhouse and amenity roofs, pool heating, and solar-powered lighting, gates and signs on common grounds, to cut electric bills that are paid out of every owner’s assessment. At the same time, boards in Florida and Texas review solar applications from owners under state laws that limit how far an association can restrict them. This page focuses on association-owned solar, explains what those state laws say, and shows how many boards can be reached.
What Associations Buy
- Rooftop solar on clubhouses, amenity centers and maintenance buildings, sized to offset common-area electric use
- Solar pool heating for community pools, a common upgrade where pools are heated through cooler months
- Solar street, path and parking lot lighting where trenching new power is costly
- Solar-powered gate operators, entry signs and irrigation controllers at remote corners of a community
- Battery storage paired with panels to keep gates, lift stations or clubhouse circuits running during outages
- Carport and shade structures with panels over amenity parking
- Operations and maintenance agreements, including monitoring, cleaning and inverter replacement for systems already installed
Common-area solar is usually approved as a capital project, and some associations finance it rather than paying from reserves. Financing options vary by state and utility. Because the system sits on association property, the board and the governing documents decide whether and how it is installed.
Florida: Fla. Stat. 163.04
Under Fla. Stat. 163.04, a deed restriction, covenant, declaration or similar binding agreement may not prohibit, or have the effect of prohibiting, solar collectors or other renewable energy devices from being installed on buildings on the lots or parcels it covers. A property owner may not be denied permission to install them by an entity with approval rights over residential dwellings, including within the boundaries of a condominium unit. The entity may decide the specific roof location, within an orientation to the south or within 45 degrees east or west of due south, if that decision does not impair the collectors’ effective operation. In litigation under the section, the prevailing party is entitled to costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.
The statute is written around owners and their buildings and does not address common areas. For association-owned property, the decision rests with the board and the community’s governing documents.
Texas: Property Code 202.010
Under Tex. Prop. Code 202.010, a property owners’ association generally may not include or enforce a dedicatory instrument provision that prohibits or restricts an owner from installing a solar energy device. The section lists exceptions. Among them, an association may prohibit or restrict a device located on property owned or maintained by the association, or on property owned in common by its members. It may also restrict roof-mounted devices that extend above or beyond the roofline, and devices installed without required prior approval.
An association may designate where on a roof a device goes, but an owner may use an alternate location if it would raise estimated annual energy production by more than 10 percent, as measured with a publicly available National Renewable Energy Laboratory modeling tool. Some limits apply during a development period for developments with fewer than 51 planned units. This summary is not legal advice.
Who Makes the Decision
The board approves solar on association property, often after a committee or the manager collects proposals and payback estimates. Larger systems may also need a vote of the owners if the governing documents treat them as a material alteration of the common elements, so proposals that include clear savings figures tend to move faster. Some management companies also maintain a preferred vendor list, so reaching both the manager and the board is useful. At a self-managed community, board members handle the process directly. Self-managed associations are listed by county on the Florida and Texas self-managed pages.
How Many Boards Can Be Reached?
The figures below were taken from the HOA Contact Lists database on October 7, 2026. Only associations with at least one current, verified board member contact are counted.
| Associations | Board contacts | 50+ units | 100+ units | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida HOAs | 27,424 | 112,491 | 15,266 | 10,208 |
| Florida condo associations | 22,638 | 91,035 | 8,961 | 4,984 |
| Texas HOAs and POAs | 16,482 | 44,541 | 6,610 | 4,672 |
| Texas condo associations | 7,428 | 15,412 | 1,040 | 602 |
Larger communities are more likely to own a clubhouse, a pool and lighting on common grounds, and to carry the electric bills that make solar worth studying. Across both states, 31,877 associations with 50 or more units carry 131,424 current board contacts.
Where the Larger Florida Associations Are
| County | Associations (50+ units) | Board contacts |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | 2,621 | 11,032 |
| Palm Beach | 2,418 | 11,928 |
| Broward | 2,291 | 10,734 |
| Orange | 1,583 | 6,440 |
| Hillsborough | 1,311 | 5,572 |
| Lee | 1,201 | 5,636 |
| Pinellas | 1,169 | 5,547 |
| Collier | 919 | 4,409 |
| Sarasota | 876 | 4,397 |
| Polk | 833 | 3,555 |
| Brevard | 705 | 3,199 |
| Duval | 703 | 2,714 |
Where the Larger Texas Associations Are
| County | Associations (50+ units) | Board contacts |
|---|---|---|
| Harris | 1,358 | 3,793 |
| Dallas | 1,143 | 3,548 |
| Travis | 1,017 | 3,066 |
| Collin | 954 | 2,957 |
| Bexar | 762 | 2,262 |
| Tarrant | 306 | 903 |
| Hidalgo | 245 | 636 |
| Williamson | 199 | 526 |
| Montgomery | 159 | 460 |
| Denton | 148 | 427 |
How Lists Are Built for Solar Companies
- Association type. HOAs with clubhouses, pools and common lighting for amenity solar, and condo associations for building-level and pool heating projects.
- Unit floor. 100 units and up, where common-area electric bills are large enough to justify a system.
- Service area. Counties, cities or ZIP codes the install and service crews can reach.
- Board roles. Presidents first, with treasurers added because payback and financing are usually the deciding questions.
What a signed association project could be worth, once connect and win rates are factored in, can be estimated with the free HOA Vendor Revenue Calculator.
Counts are free to run in the HOA Contact Lists search, and new accounts receive 5 free credits. Custom counts can be requested at support@hoacontactlists.com.
Related Resources
- EV charging companies: Florida condo and HOA board contacts
- How electrical contractors win HOA and condo contracts in Florida
- How roofing contractors win HOA and condo contracts in Florida
- Florida HOA database and Texas HOA database
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Florida HOA ban solar panels?
Under Fla. Stat. 163.04, a deed restriction, covenant or declaration may not prohibit solar collectors from being installed on buildings on the lots it covers, and an owner may not be denied permission. The association may choose the roof location within a south-facing range if that does not impair the collectors’ effective operation.
Can a Texas HOA ban solar panels?
Generally, no. Tex. Prop. Code 202.010 bars a property owners’ association from prohibiting or restricting an owner’s solar energy device, with listed exceptions, such as devices above the roofline or installed without required prior approval.
Can an HOA put solar on its own common areas?
The Florida and Texas owner-solar statutes address owners’ property. In Texas, 202.010 expressly allows an association to prohibit or restrict devices on property it owns or maintains or that members own in common, so common-area solar is a board decision made under the governing documents.
Who approves a solar project for HOA common areas?
The board approves it, often after a committee or the manager gathers proposals. Some governing documents require an owner vote for material alterations of common property.
How many Florida and Texas associations with 50 or more units can be reached?
As of October 7, 2026, 31,877 associations with 50 or more units have a verified board contact in the HOA Contact Lists database, with 131,424 board contacts between them.